College Basketball: Are No. 1 Duke and No. 4 San Diego St.'s Resumes Convincing?

If the NCAA football coaches voted the same way their basketball counterparts did, Boise State would have won a National Championship by now.

The football coaches always claimed teams like Boise State and TCU, both not members of BCS conferences, didn't have the schedule to prove they were deserving of a National Championship, even if they were undefeated.

But the basketball coaches who voted in this week's coaches poll have elevated Duke (25-2) to the No. 1 ranking and San Diego St. (27-1) to the No. 4 ranking.  If the NCAA selection committee agrees with them, both teams will have No.1 seeds come the tournament.

The Duke Blue Devils have only played two teams currently ranked in this week's coaches' poll.  They beat No. 19 North Carolina at home (79-73) and lost to No. 25 St. John's on the road (93-78).

San Diego St. has played one team currently in the coaches' poll.  They lost to No. 7 BYU (71-58).

Who was it who said "if you want to be the best, you have to play the best?"

No. 3 Ohio State (25-2) has played four teams currently ranked in the coaches' poll.  Pitt has played seven.

St. John's has played eight teams currently ranked in the coaches' poll and have beaten  No. 1 Duke, No. 6 Pitt, No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 11 Georgetown and No. 15 UConn.

Duke's Road to No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament Is Easier Than Most

Duke has four regular season games left and then they play the ACC Tournament.  They host No. 14 Temple, play at Virginia Tech, host Clemson and finish at No.19 North Carolina.

The Blue Devils have a one game lead in the ACC over North Carolina, and if form holds, they will probably meet them in the final game of the ACC Tournament.

Between now and the end of the regular season Florida State (19-7) has a slight chance to jump into the rankings.  The Seminoles beat Duke earlier in the season in Tallahassee.

Duke may have to play Florida State in the ACC Tournament.

San Diego St. Has an Easy Road to No. 1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament

On February 26 San Diego St. gets another shot at BYU—at home this time.  If the Aztecs can beat BYU in the rematch, and win their conference tournament, where they'll probably meet BYU again, there is no telling how high the NCAA selection committee will seed them.

Even if they just beat BYU once—and finish with just two losses—they still could be considered for a No. 1 seed.

If San Diego State can't beat BYU once, they could drop way down in the rankings and possibly be looking at a four or five seed in the NCAA Tournament.

That would mean no wins against a ranked team all year.

Which Conference Is the Best?

Last week CBS Sports and Sporting News Radio's Tim Brando told Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan the Big Ten is the toughest conference top to bottom.

It was the same week all-time winningest coach ESPN's Bobby Knight told the audience that winning the Big East Tournament might be as difficult as winning the NCAA's

Who are you going to believe?